[tatsu_section padding= “90px 0% 90px 0%”][tatsu_row layout= “1/1”][tatsu_column layout= “1/1”][tatsu_text max_width= “” wrap_alignment= “center” animation_type= “fadeIn”]We just got home from Memorial Day Family Camp at Forest Home Christian Camp and Conference Center, and since I have a WONDERFUL friend/assistant who handled Memorial Day Weekend (both Marion’s Childcare and photography) like an absolute pro, I have spent the morning looking through photos and editing personal images instead of catching up on emails! Amazing!
Some of these photos were taken with my “big camera,” some by the camp photographer, who quickly edited and posted the images on the Forest Home web site (THANKS, “Outtake!”), and some are from my iPhone. As they say – “The best camera is the one you have with you.” I didn’t want to lug my camera bag on all our hikes, but I sure couldn’t pass up a photo opportunity when the light was just right and the surroundings amazing — and the subjects my favorite!
Having never been to Family Camp before, we didn’t exactly know what we were getting into, but we loaded up the car on Friday and headed up the hill. It was COLD!! But it was beautiful, our cabin was perfect, and we enjoyed just exploring the grounds before our short orientation meetings and dinner that first night.
Steven would have preferred to take the top bunk, but Lissa had claimed it, and he quickly discovered that the bedrails were fun to swing on – so it was all good.
Our “nature boy,” Steven was all about discovering acorns that first night. Both kids were excited to be able to climb on SO MANY rocks! Pretty much everywhere you go at Forest Home, you can walk or climb on big rocks. 
Just arriving, we bundled up good! It was in the 40’s and 50’s most of the weekend, and overcast. The leaders at our meetings greeted us, “Hope you’re enjoying Winter Camp!”
The music was great! The worship was lead by Pete, a very talented Australian pastor currently leading a church in Orange County. He led familiar songs (old and new) on an acoustic guitar. “Music Mama” led the children’s worship. Steven is “over” the song “Hip-Hip-Hip-Hippopotamus,” but other than that he loved it and so did Lissa.
Since it was so cold, we didn’t feel compelled to go in the pool, and the “Lake Day” activities were cancelled due to weather, so between hikes and visits to the craft cabin, we relaxed in our own cabin, played board games, and read. Lissa and Steven went out and played near our cabin, and we just let them. Steven spent hours collecting sticks and building a fort – and when Lissa got tired of fort building, he built HER a fort, too.
Our family hikes led us down to an almost-dry riverbed, where the kids jumped from rock to rock, and we all tried to avoid falling in the trickling water that was flowing through.
[/tatsu_text][tatsu_video source= “youtube” 0= “url=” 1= “” width= “"560"” height= “"315"” src= “"https://www.youtube.com/embed/lTb-RPdCpkg"” frameborder= “"0"” 2= “allowfullscreen=””>”” animation_type= “fadeIn”][/tatsu_video][tatsu_text max_width= “” wrap_alignment= “center” animation_type= “fadeIn”]The iPhone hike:
We spent a good portion of each afternoon in the craft cabin. Brilliance, here. There is a whole mini craft store in one corner, where you can choose and purchase your craft materials. Then we just got in line for paint, stain, scissors, and other basics that were free. Steven made a bunny the first day, and Lissa made a plaque with her name on it. This photo is from the camp photographer:
The next day, Steven wanted to make a special project for his CCA, Katlyn. He painted a flower pot. Lissa and I tried our hand at modge-podge for the first time.
The Mud Run! Lissa’s least favorite part of camp – but the camp photographer got a great photo, anyway! She didn’t mind getting dirty . . . she just minded rinsing off in the freezing lake!! Super cold!
The Mud Run was on Sunday morning and was followed by much shivering and whimpering. By Sunday afternoon, though, after crafting and hanging out playing games for a while, Lissa had decided it was time to brave the pool. It was about 50 degrees outside, but it was 85 degrees in the pool, so in she went! She is crazy like her Papa.
Steven was content to jump on rocks.
and swing from ropes . . .
This is my only photo from the Dining Hall, but I have to mention the FOOD! It was great! There was real salad (no iceberg lettuce funny business), yummy veggies, and other healthy options, along with fresh-baked bread. So much food! Breakfasts were especially great and included blueberry yogurt and granola – my favorite!
Here’s another photo from the camp photographer, “Outtake” who went with the kids on their adventures while the adults were in morning worship services. When she saw this, Lissa said, “I was pretty nervous way up there!”
More iPhone photos! Lissa and Rod got picked for one of the evening group games, which involved connecting pool noodles and sending five marbles through several connected tubes, all the way to the back of the room. Our side of the room won, and we got two “Homies,” which are these bottles that are good for discounts at the snack bar! Lissa and Steven enjoyed slushies on our way home!
At Family Camp, each family with children under 5th grade is assigned a “CCA,” or “Childcare Assistant.” Steven’s CCA was Katlyn (age 15). He LOVED Katlyn! She took him to play games in the Den and, on the last night, to the miniature golf course! She is a wonderful artist and knew all about his favorite movies and Lissa’s favorite TV shows, and she made both kids special nametags and drawings. Steven currently has a picture of Katlyn framed on his nightstand. He has fervently requested that we ask for Katlyn to be his CCA again next year! From a Marion’s Childcare perspective, it was fun to see how important a babysitter can be to a child.
Now, see the puffy eyes? This is a portrait of a kid who loved camp so much that he woke up the last morning crying serious tears because it was ending. He wants to go back – and SOON! Family Camp was a wonderful opportunity to spend time together, unplug, reflect, and refocus and I’m so thankful that we went! We are all signed up for next Memorial Day!
[/tatsu_text][/tatsu_column][/tatsu_row][tatsu_row layout= “1/1”][tatsu_column layout= “1/1”][tatsu_text max_width= “” wrap_alignment= “center” animation_type= “fadeIn”]We just got home from Memorial Day Family Camp at Forest Home Christian Camp and Conference Center, and since I have a WONDERFUL friend/assistant who handled Memorial Day Weekend (both Marion’s Childcare and photography) like an absolute pro, I have spent the morning looking through photos and editing personal images instead of catching up on emails! Amazing!
Some of these photos were taken with my “big camera,” some by the camp photographer, who quickly edited and posted the images on the Forest Home web site (THANKS, “Outtake!”), and some are from my iPhone. As they say – “The best camera is the one you have with you.” I didn’t want to lug my camera bag on all our hikes, but I sure couldn’t pass up a photo opportunity when the light was just right and the surroundings amazing — and the subjects my favorite!
Having never been to Family Camp before, we didn’t exactly know what we were getting into, but we loaded up the car on Friday and headed up the hill. It was COLD!! But it was beautiful, our cabin was perfect, and we enjoyed just exploring the grounds before our short orientation meetings and dinner that first night.
Steven would have preferred to take the top bunk, but Lissa had claimed it, and he quickly discovered that the bedrails were fun to swing on – so it was all good.
Our “nature boy,” Steven was all about discovering acorns that first night. Both kids were excited to be able to climb on SO MANY rocks! Pretty much everywhere you go at Forest Home, you can walk or climb on big rocks.
Just arriving, we bundled up good! It was in the 40’s and 50’s most of the weekend, and overcast. The leaders at our meetings greeted us, “Hope you’re enjoying Winter Camp!”
The music was great! The worship was lead by Pete, a very talented Australian pastor currently leading a church in Orange County. He led familiar songs (old and new) on an acoustic guitar. “Music Mama” led the children’s worship. Steven is “over” the song “Hip-Hip-Hip-Hippopotamus,” but other than that he loved it and so did Lissa.
Since it was so cold, we didn’t feel compelled to go in the pool, and the “Lake Day” activities were cancelled due to weather, so between hikes and visits to the craft cabin, we relaxed in our own cabin, played board games, and read. Lissa and Steven went out and played near our cabin, and we just let them. Steven spent hours collecting sticks and building a fort – and when Lissa got tired of fort building, he built HER a fort, too.
Our family hikes led us down to an almost-dry riverbed, where the kids jumped from rock to rock, and we all tried to avoid falling in the trickling water that was flowing through.
[/tatsu_text][tatsu_video source= “youtube” 0= “url=” 1= “” width= “"560"” height= “"315"” src= “"https://www.youtube.com/embed/lTb-RPdCpkg"” frameborder= “"0"” 2= “allowfullscreen=””>”” animation_type= “fadeIn”][/tatsu_video][tatsu_text max_width= “” wrap_alignment= “center” animation_type= “fadeIn”]The iPhone hike:
We spent a good portion of each afternoon in the craft cabin. Brilliance, here. There is a whole mini craft store in one corner, where you can choose and purchase your craft materials. Then we just got in line for paint, stain, scissors, and other basics that were free. Steven made a bunny the first day, and Lissa made a plaque with her name on it. This photo is from the camp photographer:
The next day, Steven wanted to make a special project for his CCA, Katlyn. He painted a flower pot. Lissa and I tried our hand at modge-podge for the first time.
The Mud Run! Lissa’s least favorite part of camp – but the camp photographer got a great photo, anyway! She didn’t mind getting dirty . . . she just minded rinsing off in the freezing lake!! Super cold!
The Mud Run was on Sunday morning and was followed by much shivering and whimpering. By Sunday afternoon, though, after crafting and hanging out playing games for a while, Lissa had decided it was time to brave the pool. It was about 50 degrees outside, but it was 85 degrees in the pool, so in she went! She is crazy like her Papa.
Steven was content to jump on rocks.
and swing from ropes . . .
This is my only photo from the Dining Hall, but I have to mention the FOOD! It was great! There was real salad (no iceberg lettuce funny business), yummy veggies, and other healthy options, along with fresh-baked bread. So much food! Breakfasts were especially great and included blueberry yogurt and granola – my favorite!
Here’s another photo from the camp photographer, “Outtake” who went with the kids on their adventures while the adults were in morning worship services. When she saw this, Lissa said, “I was pretty nervous way up there!”
More iPhone photos! Lissa and Rod got picked for one of the evening group games, which involved connecting pool noodles and sending five marbles through several connected tubes, all the way to the back of the room. Our side of the room won, and we got two “Homies,” which are these bottles that are good for discounts at the snack bar! Lissa and Steven enjoyed slushies on our way home!
At Family Camp, each family with children under 5th grade is assigned a “CCA,” or “Childcare Assistant.” Steven’s CCA was Katlyn (age 15). He LOVED Katlyn! She took him to play games in the Den and, on the last night, to the miniature golf course! She is a wonderful artist and knew all about his favorite movies and Lissa’s favorite TV shows, and she made both kids special nametags and drawings. Steven currently has a picture of Katlyn framed on his nightstand. He has fervently requested that we ask for Katlyn to be his CCA again next year! From a Marion’s Childcare perspective, it was fun to see how important a babysitter can be to a child.
Now, see the puffy eyes? This is a portrait of a kid who loved camp so much that he woke up the last morning crying serious tears because it was ending. He wants to go back – and SOON! Family Camp was a wonderful opportunity to spend time together, unplug, reflect, and refocus and I’m so thankful that we went! We are all signed up for next Memorial Day!
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